Emigration from Ireland

Emigration has been a dominating feature of Irish life for almost four centuries, and has left us an unmistakeable legacy. The culture of loss and shame associated with it has only recently begun to weaken, as we have realized and celebrated the achievements of the Irish overseas, and their descendants. And this is part of, and partly a cause of, the broadening of the notion of Irishness that is now taking place within Ireland.

This acceptance of the diaspora is part of the general growth in self-confidence of the Irish cultural identity in recent decades.